El Paso

Colour, 35 mm
Czech Republic, 2009, 98 min
IP – International premiere
Section: East of the West - Films in Competition

Synopsis

After her husband’s death, Věra Horváthová discovers that she presents a problem for most of society. After years of not paying the rent, she is moved into a small welfare flat where, despite the rough conditions, she tries to give her seven children everything they need. She doesn’t understand why social workers are trying to take her kids away, legal jargon confuses her, and she refuses to feel guilty for being Romany. Fortunately, she isn’t alone, but in order for her new gadji friends to help her, they must first earn her trust and enter her world. Following the success of The Brats (2002), director Zdeněk Tyc once again returns to a Romany story inspired by true events in which people don’t speak of love, but live it. This subtly poetic story, combining experienced actors and Romany non-actors, stirs empathy within the mass of society for their "other” fellow citizens. "El paso is a slang expression for attack, and we’d like – in a good way – to attack our viewers,” says the director.

About the director

Zdeněk Tyc (b. 1956, Rokycany) finished up studies at Prague’s Film Academy (FAMU) with the graduation feature Vojtěch, Called the Orphan (1989). Since then he has worked in television on a variety of projects including the drama The Road from the series Fireside Stories (1991), the documentary series That Strange Word Poetry (1996-99) and We’re Still Here (1996-2009), and the two-part music documentary Dvořák in America (1998). For HBO he shot the comedy series "Up and at ‘Em”. In 1993, his feature debut Razor Blades screened at numerous international festivals and was awarded the prestigious Fondation GAN Pour le Cinéma. Two years on, he opted for comedy with Seizing the Day. He returned to "more serious” work with the psychological drama The Brats (2002) which received support from the Sundance Institute (2000), and was shown in competition at Karlovy Vary and at the Istanbul IFF (Best Director). In 2008, he came out with Small Celebrations about a mother and daughter.